Locking tie plate for rails



Oct. 20, 1925.

H PODOLSKY LOCKING TIE PLATE FOR RAILS Filed Sept. 4. 1924 INVENTOR. Jf ig PadaZ-Mg/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES HENRY PODOLSK'Y, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LOCKING TIE PLATE FOR RAILS.

Application filed September 4, 1924. Serial No. 735,741.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY PODOLSKY, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a new and useful Locking Tie Plate for Rails, of which the following is a specification in such full and clear terms as will enable those skilled in the art to construct and use the same.

This invention relates to a locking tie plate for rails, and its object is to produce a tie plate which is capable of securing a rail to a tie with but a single spike, if the serv ice is not heavy, but which may be used in connection with two spikes in all heavy railroad work.

Another object of the invention is to provide the tie plate with means to prevent the rail from creeping laterally when used on curves.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the spike holding the rail will be locked in position with respect to the tie plate, to prevent the spike from working up as the trains pass over the rail.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that with the continual operation of trains over a track that the spikes gradually work up and many of them get badly bent, because they are not firmly seated in the tie. With the present invention the locking plate is so secured to the tie as to prevent its lateral displacement and the plate is provided with a locking spring which may be driven over the spike to hold the spike plate and rail firmly together, so that as long as the rail sea-ts upon the tie the spike cannot work loose.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numeral is applied to the same portion throughout.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the locking plate, showing its application to a rail.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the locking plate, showing the form of the blank from which it is out.

Figure 3 illustrates the use of two plates on each tie where heavy service makes that necessary.

The numeral 1 indicates the rail, 2 the tie and 3 this locking plate. The plate has an upturned flange to engage the rail flange as indicated at 4, and it is provided with a hole to receive the spike 6; said spike having the usual head 7 which overlaps both the plate 3 and the flange of the rail 1. At the opposite end of the plate from the flange 4-, it is provided with two down turned V shaped prongs 8 and 9; the shape of the blank before the prongs are turned down is indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2. Between the prongs 8 and 9 there is an upturned lug 10, which lug serves to lock the spring member 11 in place when the spike has been driven in. The spring member is held down against the spike by means of two inturned flanges 12 and 13.

In practice the spring member 11 is somewhat curved, as shown in Figure 1, so that after the spike is driven home itcan be driven over the top of the locking lug 10 and under both of the inturned flanges 12- and 13 with a heavy hammer and when the spike has been driven down tightly the plate is driven home to the position shown in Figure 1 with its back end inside the looking lug 10. It will then resist any attempt to lift it and will always hold the plate and rail closely together.

In usual practice, where heavy trains are used, there will be two of the plates used with the spikes driven on opposite sides of the rail as shown at A. and B on Figure 3, but in light service only a single plate and spike is necessary for each rail at each tie.

What I claim is as follows, but modifications may be made in carrying out the invention shown in the drawing and in the above particularly described form thereof within the purview of the invention as dcfined by the annexed claims.

1. An article of manufacture comprising the combination of a flat plate, having an upturned flange at one end to embrace a rail flange, two downwardly turned prongs, a spike opening, a pair of inturned flanges and an upturned locking lug between said flanges and a spring plate, adapted to be driven under the inturned flanges and over the top of a spike head.

2. An article of manufacture comprising the combination of a flat plate having an upturned flange at one end to embrace a rail flange two downwardly turned prongs, a spike opening, a pair of inturned flanges,

an upturned locking lug between said flanges, and a spring plate shaped to he driven under the inturned flanges and over the top of the spike head until it is locked in that position by the upturned locking lug.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto my hand this 29 day of August A. D. 19..,:.

HENRY PODOLSKY. 

